On the seventh night, camped in a quiet bamboo forest clearing, I sat with Vale alone by a small fire while the others prepared the evening meal.
She was quieter than usual, staring into the flames. I waited.
"I've been thinking about my people," she said eventually. "The succubi scattered across the north. Many of them live in hiding, trading favors for survival. I used to think that was the only way. Now I wonder if I can offer them something better. A real place. With you."
I reached over and took her hand. "You can. We will. But only if you're ready to lead them differently than before."
She squeezed my fingers. "With you… I think I am. I don't want them to survive like I did. I want them to thrive."
